Arsenal has reached an agreement with Newcastle for the transfer of midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. The fee for the Brazilian captain is reported to be £75m. Guimaraes has been given permission to travel for a medical examination.
Guimaraes reportedly informed Newcastle earlier this summer of his desire to join Arsenal if a suitable offer were made. An initial bid from Arsenal was rejected, but a deal has now been agreed upon for the player, who has two years remaining on his contract with Newcastle, along with a club-held option for a third year.
Newcastle had expressed a strong desire to retain Guimaraes. However, the club indicated that a deal would only proceed if Guimaraes expressed a wish to leave and if Newcastle’s valuation was met. The club also insisted on proper handling of the situation, citing Guimaraes’ attendance at Newcastle’s training camp in Spain on Monday as an example of compliance.
Guimaraes’ impact and Arsenal’s strategy
Guimaraes joined Newcastle in 2022 from Lyon for £40m. During his time with the club, he made 195 appearances and scored 31 goals. He was Newcastle’s top scorer in the league last season with nine goals and provided four assists for Brazil at the World Cup in his five starts.
The addition of Guimaraes is seen as a significant move for Arsenal. The club’s manager, Mikel Arteta, has reportedly been keen on acquiring players with Premier League experience who have demonstrated an ability to perform at the highest level. Guimaraes’ robustness is also a factor, as he has missed 16 Premier League games since joining Newcastle in 2022.
Data from Opta suggests that Newcastle’s win percentage, points per game, average goals for, and average goals against have been higher when Guimaraes has featured. He also led Newcastle in passes under high intensity pressure, indicating his willingness to take on responsibility.
The move for Guimaraes aligns with Arsenal’s strategy to strengthen their squad. The club aims to create one of the best midfields in world football. Guimaraes is expected to join a midfield group that includes Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Ethan Nwaneri, fostering competition within the squad.
Mikael Silvestre, a former defender for Manchester United and Arsenal, has supported Guimaraes’ potential move to North London. Silvestre highlighted Guimaraes’ need for regular starts to maintain his status with the Brazil national team, suggesting Arsenal would be a suitable fit. He also noted Guimaraes’ aggressive playing style, which he believes would be beneficial for a team defending a title and aiming for a Champions League final.
Newcastle’s summer transfers
This summer has seen several significant player movements from Newcastle. Anthony Gordon joined Barcelona in a £69.3m deal, and Sandro Tonali was signed by Spurs for £100m. Manager Eddie Howe also departed the club.
Newcastle had previously rejected an opening offer from Arsenal for Guimaraes. The club maintained that they would only sell Guimaraes at a valuation that would make his transfer one of the highest for a player aged 28 or over. Newcastle expressed frustration that Arsenal reportedly prolonged the transfer process by not contacting them for several weeks.
Despite the negotiations, Newcastle insists that relations between the player and the club remain positive. Guimaraes’ transfer is expected to provide Arsenal with additional options in midfield, potentially allowing for rotation and maintaining quality across multiple competitions.
Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, emphasized the need for ambition to build on the club’s recent success, which included winning the league for the first time in 22 years last season and reaching the Champions League final. The club believes Guimaraes’ addition will help them achieve a "different dimension."
Source: skysports.com
